Boundary to Darkness - Return
by iSoftRain
Summary: Seven moons after the disastrous battle, the clans have grown apart again. Borders are more blurred than ever, as Shadowclan engages in a massive war against Riverclan, and Jayfeather holds a secret that could destroy the clans. OCs used, but not main. Flames will be given to Tigerstar. Rated T to be sure. Focuses on the characters created by Erin Hunter. First book.
1. Allegiances

**A/N Begins Here.**

Warriors. Do not own. Read and review.

I haven't included descriptions of the characters, except for the OCs. New characters will have descriptions.

**Thunderclan**

**Leader**

Bramblestar

**Deputy**

Squirrelflight

**Medicine Cat**

Jayfeather

**Warriors**

Graystripe

Dustpelt

Sandstorm

Brackenfur

Cloudtail

Brightheart

Millie

Thornclaw

**Apprentice- Seedpaw**

Leafpool

Spiderleg

Birchfall

Whitewing

Berrynose

Hazeltail

Mousewhisker

Lionblaze

Foxleap

Icecloud

Toadstep

Rosepetal

Briarlight

Blossomfall

Bumblestripe

Dovewing

**Apprentice- Lilypaw**

Ivypool

Cherryfeather

Molefur

**Queens**

Daisy

Cinderheart

**Elders**

Purdy

**Shadowclan**

**Leader**

Blackstar

**Deputy**

Rowanclaw

**Medicine Cat**

**Warriors**

Oakfur

Smokefoot

Toadfoot

Applefur

**Apprentice- Redpaw **(red tabby tom with amber eyes)

Crowfrost

Ratscar

Snowbird

Tawnypelt

Olivenose

Owlclaw

Shrewfoot

Scorchfur

**Apprentice- Brightpaw **(black she-cat with a white van pattern and blue eyes)

Tigerheart

Dawnpelt

Pinenose

Ferretclaw

Starlingwing

**Queens**

Ivytail (mother of Nightkit (black she-kit with green eyes), Foxkit(light brown tabby she-kit with golden eyes), Grasskit(black tom with white speckles and golden eyes), and Skykit(gray tom with green eyes))

**Elders**

Cedarheart

Tallpoppy

Whitewater

**Windclan**

**Leader**

Onestar

**Deputy**

Ashfoot

**Medicine Cat**

Kestrelflight

**Warriors**

Crowfeather

Owlwhisker

Whitetail

Gorsetail

Weaselfur

**Apprentice- Yellowpaw **(dark gray tom with yellow eyes)

Harespring

Leaftail

Emberfoot

Heathertail

**Apprentice- Creampaw **(pale gray she-cat with amber eyes)

Swallowtail

Sunstrike

**Apprentice- Nutpaw **(white tom with amber eyes)

Furzepelt

Whiskernose

Boulderfur

Furzepelt

**Queens**

Sedgewhisker

**Elders**

Webfoot

Tornear

**Riverclan**

**Leader**

Mistystar

**Deputy**

Reedwhisker

**Medicine Cat**

Mothwing

Willowshine

**Warriors**

Graymist

Mintfur

**Apprentice- Coldpaw **(brown tabby tom with white forepaws and blue eyes)

Icewing

Mosspelt

Minnowtail

Pebblefoot

Mallownose

**Apprentice- Lakepaw **(light brown tabby she-cat with white back and blue eyes)

Robinwing

Beetlewhisker

Petalfur

Grasspelt

Troutstream

Rushtail

Duckflight

Pikewhisker

Mossyfoot

Mallownose

Copperpelt

**Queens**

Duskfur (mother of Smallkit (light brown tabby tom with amber eyes) and Fernkit(black she-kit with white tail and blue eyes))

**Elders**

Dapplenose

Pouncetail

**Cats Outside The Clans**

Smoky

Floss

Sol

Fallen Leaves

Nightcloud

Breezepelt

Rock

**Other Animals**

Midnight


	2. Prologue

**A/N Begins Here.**

Hello, welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read Return. This is a story created by my brother and I, and written by me.

I don't own Warriors, clearly, or else Hollyleaf would still be alive, and there would be inconsistencies galore.

I'm looking for a beta reader, so this chapter was not beta read.

**Prologue**

A forest of shadows, filled with cats that had the dank mist of the forest clinging to their battle-scarred pelts, lay in darkness. Silverpelt could not be seen in the skies above the forest, giving up the horizons to blackness. In a clearing in the forest, several severely wounded cats lay, stretching their aching muscles and growling softly. The whole forest seemed to be engulfed in a quiet, potent hate.

One cat, a massive dark tabby, crouched awkwardly on the forest floor in the center of the clearing, his amber eyes gleaming in the gloom. He seemed to be daring any cat to come near him, and no cat seemed brave enough or able to oblige. The grass beneath him was dark with fresh and drying blood, oozing from various wounds on his body, but most of all from a puckered wound at his throat.

Across the clearing, the undergrowth suddenly began to quiver and shake wildly. A ginger and white she-cat stepped out, her golden eyes blazing. She stalked purposefully across the clearing to the dark tabby, cats clearing a path before her. The dark tabby lifted his head and glared at the she-cat.

"Mapleshade." he growled in greeting. The other narrowed her eyes.

"Tigerstar." Her gaze raked over the broad-shouldered tom, golden eyes lingering on the tear at his throat. "You've looked better." She sneered. "I thought the kittypet killed you in the battle."

Tigerstar hissed angrily. "I managed to pull out in time. How did your run from Sandstorm go?" The massive tabby said mockingly.

Mapleshade snarled, raising a paw as if to rake it across the younger's cheek. Before she could, though, the injured tom lunged forward, grabbing the white paw in his jaws and pulling it forward, lurching the she-cat off balance. Mapleshade stumbled, but caught herself quickly. Her eyes darted around, and she dipped her head to the dark tabby, admitting defeat.

"What did you come here for?" Tigerstar asked, his amber eyes mere slits.

Mapleshade crouched down, settling herself on the slimy ground and tucking her paws beneath her, looking carefully at the massive tabby as if sizing him up. "Our battle," She mewed, keeping her voice low. "It caused something strange to occur on the boundary with Starclan." Other cats from around the clearing, though they knew these two held an abundant amount of power in their shoulders and that they should not be eavesdropping on them, could not resist sending the occasional curious glance at the two, pricking their ears to pick up even snippets of conversation.

Tigerstar flashed an amber-eyed look of surprise at the she-cat. "What?" He growled, a note of shock entering his growl.

The she-cat snapped at him. "Keep your voice down!" She looked warily around, meeting the dark eyes of those cats who were watching; they swiftly ducked their heads and busied themselves licking their healing wounds and scars. "It's easier to show you than explain." She growled, standing up and flicking her tail.

Tigerstar stifled a groan as he stood up. Mapleshade led him through the shadowed woods, pawsteps muffled on the mossy dirt, to a long stretch of forest where the trees began to grow less twisted and the mist began to dissolve. A small stream ran down a small slope on the border from the misty forest and the clear forest.

"There." Mapleshade waved her splotched tail at the river. Tigerstar studied it for a few moments.

"Where are the others?" He growled. "Fetch the senior warriors. This needs to be hidden from the weaklings in Starclan." He scored his thorn-sharp claws across the damp earth of the dark side of the forest, fixing his eyes on the stream, wounds forgotten.

The ginger and white she-cat smirked as she threw a sideways glance at the tabby. "I'm sure I will be able to find Darkstripe, off licking that sorry pelt of his somewhere." Her voice was mocking, though it was unclear whether she was mocking Tigerstar or the cat she had mentioned.

Tigerstar twitched. "I didn't mean that coward." He protested, fur spiking. "Darkstripe is useless to me." Shaking out his ruffled tabby pelt, he added, "Find Shredtail, Thistleclaw, someone like that. Someone useful." He sank his claws into the peaty soil beneath his paws.

Mapleshade nodded and backed into the shadows. Her golden eyes burned for a heartbeat longer before disappearing. Tigerstar looked again at the river, at the clear path leading down to a lake, surrounded by a moorland and a forest. Though he couldn't see them from the top of the path, he knew there were many cats in that forest. Some resided in the oak forest, some in the pine forest, some in the moorland, and some where the streams bubbled. Tigerstar bared his teeth, amber eyes glittering with pleasure and ambition.

"This changes _everything._"


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N Begins Here.**

There are some inconsistencies, I believe, to this chapter. I may or may not have made cats go on the dawn patrol, and the search patrol.

Read and review!

**Chapter One.**

Jayfeather opened his eyes to darkness, sighing. He shifted in his nest and stood up. Tasting the air, he found that Briarlight was asleep in her nest. He'd wake her up later. Recently, she had been working hard on her exercises, so he figured she could catch up on sleep. Nosing through the entrance to the medicine den, Jayfeather entered the clearing.

Seven moons ago, the camp had been destroyed by a battle against the Dark Forest. The battle had killed Ferncloud, Dustpelt's mate, as well as Jayfeather's sister Hollyleaf and her friend Sorreltail had died of blood loss. Mere days later, Jayfeather's fellow medicine cat, Littlecloud of Shadowclan, had died soon after. Shadowclan had since then been engaged in an ongoing war with Riverclan.

The camp was about halfway through being rebuilt, but Jayfeather still found himself stumbling over the scattered pieces of the beech tree that had been nearly ripped apart during the battle. He growled lowly when he tripped over a piece of the thorn barrier that was thrown halfway across the clearing.

"Sorry, Jayfeather!" Dustpelt was eating by the fresh-kill pile when Jayfeather approached. The medicine cat grumbled.

"Whatever." He plucked a scrawny sparrow off of the small pile. "I see prey is running again?" He asked.

Dustpelt nodded, his mind already focused on something else. "Yes, leaf-bare is finally easing it's hold. Brackenfur!" He stood up, meal finished, and hurried off to show the golden-brown tom something.

Jayfeather was padding back to the den when he heard Sandstorm meow from where she sat below the Highledge, sharing tongues with Squirrelflight.

"We're lucky not to have lost anyone this leaf-bare." The ginger she-cat sighed. Jayfeather heard the rasp in her mew. Sandstorm was one of the oldest cats in the clan- it was likely she would be moving to the elders' den soon.

"Lucky to have Jayfeather as a medicine cat, you mean!" Squirrelflight purred back. Jayfeather's ear twitched as he felt Squirrelflight's gaze warm his pelt.

"Luck has nothing to do with it." He muttered to himself as he entered his den. Briarlight was still asleep, so Jayfeather padded over to her, dropping the sparrow in front of her. He gently prodded her side, shaking her lightly until she awoke.

"Jayfeather?" She asked, blinking.

Jayfeather nodded. "Want to share this?" He asked, touching the sparrow with his tail. It was common for cats to share prey in the hard moons of leaf-bare, so Briarlight accepted without question. As they ate, Jayfeather listened to the camp outside.

Cherryfeather and Molefur, the clan's newest warriors, were sitting by the apprentices' den, sharing tongues. They had just woken up, Jayfeather guessed, from their sleepy mews to the waves of exhaustion flooding off of Cherryfeather. Jayfeather stiffened. The young she-cat should not be that tired. He checked her again, and was shocked at the heat flowing from her. The medicine cat stood up.

"Where're you going?" Asked Briarlight curiously.

"Cherryfeather has a fever." Replied Jayfeather abruptly. He couldn't waste time. A fever in leaf-bare usually meant whitecough or greencough. Quickly, he padded out into the clearing, walking directly towards the two warriors.

Cherryfeather looked up in surprise as he approached. "Hi, Jayfeather." She mewed. Jayfeather pressed his muzzle to her head. She was burning up. "Jayfeather? What's up?"

"Have you been feeling okay, Cherryfeather?" Jayfeather asked sharply. The young she-cat seemed surprised.

"Um, yeah, I think so." She replied. Jayfeather shook his head.

"You have a fever, Cherryfeather. Come with me." He started padding back to his den, Cherryfeather following. Heat rose beneath his fur as he felt Sandstorm looking on. She was worried, yes, but also proud._ I don't need your pride!_ Jayfeather wanted to yowl. Instead, he bushed up his fur and continued on.

"Sit here, next to Briarlight." Jayfeather instructed the young warrior. When he heard her do so, he slipped back into his herb store. He could hear her protesting.

"But it's just a fever, so I'm fine." She meowed. Anxiety was pulsing off of her, but she pushed it away.

Jayfeather returned with a pawful of shriveled feverfew. He dropped it in front of the she-cat. "Eat it." He ordered. She did, albeit reluctantly. He stood over her until she had finished. "Have you been feeling any shortness of breath, stomachaches, anything?"

A pause. Jayfeather guessed she must have shaken her head before she realized he couldn't see her. "No," She answered. "I just want to go back into the clearing. I'm sure Squirrelflight will have some patrol for me to go on."

Jayfeather shook his head. "No she won't. I'm taking you off of duties. This is leaf-bare, and we can't afford one of our warriors getting whitecough or greencough. You stay here until I say you are okay."

Cherryfeather groaned. "Do I have to?" She asked.

"Yes." Jayfeather meowed firmly. "I'll go tell Squirrelflight that you will be excused from duties." He turned and nosed his way out of the den. The rest of the clan had woken up and the deputy was standing in the center of a small crowd of warriors. Jayfeather pushed his way to the center.

"Foxleap, take Ivypool, Brackenfur, and Seedpaw to the Shadowclan border. We don't want Shadowclan going after our medicine cat since Riverclan won't surrender their's." Squirrelflight was saying as Jayfeather made his way to her. "Speaking of whom, hello, Jayfeather." The orange she-cat meowed in greeting.

"Squirrelflight, I need you to excuse Cherryfeather from her duties today. She is sick." He cut straight to the point.

Squirrelflight tensed. "Is it whitecough?" She asked, worry seeping into her voice.

Jayfeather shook his head. "No, not yet. But I should watch her until she's better, to make sure it doesn't develop into whitecough." He stopped himself from adding _"or greencough"_.

"You can have her," Squirrelflight said agreeably. "Do you need anything else?" She asked.

"No," Jayfeather said, then paused and added, "If any of the warriors start coughing or complain of feeling sick or warm, send them straight back to camp to me. No exceptions." He said, louder, so that every warrior in the clearing could hear him. He heard murmurs of assent, and nodded, satisfied.

"Jayfeather!" He heard Briarlight calling from outside his den. Jayfeather turned. "Cherryfeather is coughing!"

He hurried back to the medicine den, hearing Squirrelflight give more orders. He pushed his way into the den, and a wave of sickness met him. Cherryfeather was very sick.

"Briarlight." Jayfeather fought to keep his voice calm. "Go see if you can help the elders or the queens. Better yet, check on Cinderheart. She will be kitting soon."

Briarlight mewed assent, and hauled herself out into the clearing. Jayfeather sat next to Cherryfeather, who stifled a cough.

"I'm fine," The young warrior rasped.

Jayfeather shook his head. "No, you're not." He mewed. "Go to sleep, and you'll feel better when you wake up."

Cherryfeather's nest rustled as she curled up. He waited until he heard her breathing steady, then lay down next to her. He matched his breathing to hers, and fell into sleep.

Choking. He was choking. He'd been wandering about the forest, listening for Cherryfeather. His breathing was steady just a second ago, so he had no idea why he was choking.

Cherryfeather. It dawned on him suddenly, and his eyes widened. He had to find Cherryfeather, now. Cherryfeather is dying. Jayfeather raced through the forest, picking a random direction. Soon, he became of aware of some other cat, coughing and wretching. He turned his paws in the direction of the sound, but when he arrived to the spot, Cherryfeather was dead.

A wave of dizziness fell over Jayfeather, and he collapsed next to the young warrior, eyes closing.

"-eather? Jayfeather!" A paw was prodding at his side. Groaning, he opened his eyes. He could see. His heart sank in his chest. "Oh good, you're awake. Where are we? I've never seen this forest before!" An excited Cherryfeather stood before him.

"Cherryfeather. Oh, Starclan." Jayfeather breathed. _I can't be dead, can't be dead. _

"Huh? What?" Cherryfeather was staring into the woods, a focused expression on her face. "Jayfeather, what's that light? I really want to go over there.." She began to pad off in the direction she was looking to.

"Cherryfeather? Cherryfeather!" Jayfeather called, standing up. She was already in the trees, so he began to race after her. Slowly, he started to recognize the path. She's heading to the Dark Forest border! The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. He sped up, tripping over twigs. "Cherryfeather! You can't go that way!" The ginger tabby gave no signal she had heard.

The trees began to thin, and Jayfeather heard the sound of water flowing over pebbles. He burst through the last trees. Cherryfeather was standing a ways away from the border, her eyes wide, staring at a spot where the earth split apart. As Jayfeather approached, she turned, her eyes bright and cheerful. She seemed to not notice the shadowy, twisted forest on the other side of the stream.

"Look, Jayfeather! There's a path, and it goes down to a lake, just like ours! There's a pine forest like Shadowclan's, and a moor like Windclan's, and some rivers, too! It looks just like our forest.." She trailed off, looking at him cautiously. "This is Starclan, isn't it? This is how they see us?" Cherryfeather looked like she wanted to wail.

Jayfeather padded closer, resting his tail on her shoulder. "No, it's not." The lie left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Let's go down there, to the lake. No more being in this strange forest."

Cherryfeather nodded confidently; though still shaken, she was bolstered by Jayfeather's words, and she padded a few fox-lengths down the path. Jayfeather stood on the solid ground of the Starclan forest. Cherryfeather turned to look back at him. Jayfeather had sensed someone else in the forest, so he had not moved.

"Are you coming?" Cherryfeather called.

Jayfeather nodded. "In a moment," He called back. Cherryfeather shrugged and went ahead. Her excitement was sweeping over him, but he couldn't go with her. "Spottedleaf," He hissed. The tortoiseshell stepped out of the forest.

"Jayfeather." Her reply was curt and measured.

"How long has this been here?" He demanded. This was dangerous- cats could return at any time. Worse yet, it was accessible by both Starclan and the Dark Forest.

"Five moons." Spottedleaf mewed. She was closer to him now, and he turned to meet her.

"And Starclan _let_ this happen?" He meowed, outraged.

Spottedleaf's return was not defensive. "Jayfeather, go back to your clan. Please. You can do no good here." She sounded almost like she was pleading with him. He sighed.

"Alright." He meowed grudgingly.

Spottedleaf's surprise swept over him and made his pelt bristle. _She didn't think I would back out so easily._

"Thank you."

Jayfeather snorted. "Whatever." He curled up on the soft forest floor and closed his eyes.

Jayfeather opened his eyes to darkness. Briarlight had entered the den and was quietly stacking moss by the pool. Her curiosity pricked at him, but she said nothing. Cherryfeather, beside him, was cool and breathing steadily. No sickness or abnormal heat was clinging to her. Jayfeather exhaled, relieved.

Standing up, he made his way out into the clearing. He heard Briarlight set down her moss and pull herself after him.

Several cats were pacing out in the clearing. Bramblestar was standing on the Highledge, concern coming in waves from him.

As a cat walked past him, Jayfeather tapped them. "What's everyone so worked up about?"

"The dawn patrol! They haven't come back!" Bumblestripe. He was upset, his tail lashing in agitation.

"Where's Dovewing?" Jayfeather asked. His pelt prickled with unease.

"On the patrol!" Bumblestripe was just about wailing at this point. Other cats were stopping their pacing to stare at the two.

"Quit your crying." Jayfeather snapped, neck fur rising. Bumblestripe, surprised, closed his jaws and stared at Jayfeather in disbelief. The medicine cat directed his next words at Bramblestar, who had come down from the Highledge. "Has a search party been sent out?"

"Two." The leader's ears twitched. "They haven't come back, either."

Bumblestripe returned to pacing. "If they're not back soon," He mewed. "I'm going out myself to look for them. It's probably Shadowclan's fault!" He added.

As if on cue, the thorn tunnel shook. Every movement in the clearing stopped.

Dovewing came trotting through the thorn tunnel, followed closely by Blossomfall, Millie, and Thornclaw. Every cat began calling.

Bramblestar's voice stood out among the rest.

"Thornclaw!" He called. "Why have you stayed out so long?"

Thornclaw hesitated. Jayfeather could feel the unease flooding from him.

The medicine cat slipped forward to stand next to Bramblestar. Lowly, he murmured to the dark tabby: "Not their fault."

Millie spoke up. "We found something that we... Didn't expect," She mewed. She, at least, sounded more confident than Thornclaw.

"What?" Brambleclaw mewed. He had dropped the angry front, and now his voice was genuinely curious.

The thorn tunnel shook again. "Us."


	4. Chapter 2

Lionblaze was panicked. Dovewing, the third member of the Three, had gone with the dawn patrol, which had not returned to camp, despite it being sunrise already.  
Bramblestar bounded down from the Highledge. "Search parties!" He called, his voice ringing through the clearing. "We need two of them."  
Lionblaze plucked at the ground with his paws. "I'll go!" He meowed at once.  
Bramblestar nodded. "Squirrelflight and Toadstep, go with him. For the second party," He looked around the clearing. "I want Rosepetal, Lilypaw, and Ivypool."  
The cats chosen nodded, determination flashing in their eyes. Squirrelflight leading, they raced into the forest, through what remained of the thorn tunnel. The deputy caught Rosepetal's eye. "We'll take the Shadowclan border," meowed the ginger she-cat as they ran.  
Rosepetal nodded, and the second patrol veered off, turning in the direction of Windclan. Lionblaze pounded ahead of Squirrelflight, taking the lead as they ran towards the Shadowclan border. In the clearing where Russetfur died, they skidded to a stop, flanks heaving.  
"We'll start here," Lionblaze mewed between breaths. "And work our way back to camp. We'll spread apart, but stay within yowling distance. Call if you find something. Good luck." With those final words of parting, he bounded off into the forest. Carefully, his nose to the ground, Lionblaze sniffed every bramble and tree along his path. The clans could not afford to lose one of the Three.  
With a jolt, Lionblaze realized where he was. A tunnel entrance was nearby, a passageway into a complex series of caves, in which Lionblaze had almost died. A scent pricked at his nose, the scent of a cat he had not thought about for moons. Sol!  
About a moon before the Great Battle, Sol had led a group of Windclan cats through the tunnels. Dovewing had warned the clan, and they had met the Windclan cats. Lionblaze's sister Hollyleaf had driven Sol away, warning him that she would kill him if he returned. But he had come back anyway. Unless he knows she is dead. The thought made Lionblaze's paws itch, and he wanted to flee from the scent. Sol was bad news. But the scent was faint, indicating he'd last passed through here moons ago. There was something strange about the scent, though.  
Lionblaze pricked his ears. Toadstep was yowling. "I've found their trail!" He called. Lionblaze was flying through the trees in a heartbeat, towards where the yowl had come from.  
Toadstep was pressed flat on the forest floor, muzzle pushing it's way through the frozen leaves. Squirrelflight was already there, a few tail-lengths ahead of Toadstep. "It's fresh," She meowed. "Not too long ago, they passed through here. But, there's the scent of several other cats."  
Lionblaze stiffened. Had Sol returned? Had he ambushed them? No, Lionblaze thought, eyes narrowed. He's not a fighter.  
Aloud, he meowed: "Rogues?" He was half hoping it was. That would be easier to explain.  
But Squirrelflight shook her head. "Riverclan." She was making a face. "Mistystar, Mothwing, and Willowshine."  
Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. "Doesn't sound like an invasion patrol- the leader and both medicine cats. But why so close to the Shadowclan border," He wondered. "If they know that Blackstar is determined to take one of their medicine cats?"  
Squirrelflight shook her head. "What's more important is where they are now. They could be in camp at this point." The three exchanged glances, and as if the danger suddenly became more real, they sprinted, eyes wide and pelt bristling, through the woods towards the hollow.  
The dawn patrol had already returned, and Mistystar was facing Bramblestar in the camp. The two Riverclan medicine cats had moved to the edge of the clearing and were talking quietly with Jayfeather. Pelts were smooth, and the sudden arrival of the search party made the camp go silent.  
"Squirrelflight," Bramblestar greeted his deputy. "I suppose you found their trail." He looked amused, not angry. Mistystar turned.  
"Greetings," She dipped her head slightly to the ginger she cat.  
"Greetings," Squirrelflight replied, pelt smooth. "What brings you to Thunderclan?"  
Cinderheart heaved her way out of the nursery, sending Lionblaze a questioning look. He just shrugged. I'm as confused as you are, He thought. Cinderheart nodded sympathetically and retreated into the nursery.  
Mistystar turned back to Bramblestar. "I was saying, we've finally reached a time where I may leave the territory without fear of being attacked, so we have come to pay our respects to Firestar."  
"And Hollyleaf," Willowshine interjected. Mistystar acknowledged her medicine cat with a nod.  
That's right, Thought Lionblaze. Firestar and Mistystar were quite close. Surely Bramblestar couldn't deny Mistystar that final privelege.  
Bramblestar appeared to be thinking something along the same lines, as he dipped his head to the Riverclan cat. "Of course," He meowed warmly. "Sandstorm can show you where." The old pale ginger she-cat blinked at Mistystar and led her out of the camp. Willowshine scurried after, leaving Mothwing with Jayfeather. Bramblestar ran nimbly up the tumble of rocks into his den, Squirrelflight following. Slowly, the clan dispersed.  
Jayfeather waved his tail at Lionblaze, signaling he come there. Lionblaze caught Dovewing's eye, and she flicked her tail. The two padded over to where Jayfeather and Mothwing were standing.  
"Alright," Jayfeather meowed as they approached, turning his blind blue gaze to Mothwing. "Tell them what you just told me."  
Mothwing dipped her head. "I had a dream, a few nights ago,"  
Dovewing interrupted her. "A prophecy? But I thought you didn't believe in Starclan!" She mewed.  
Jayfeather whipped his tail across her mouth. "Shush, let her speak." He snapped. Dovewing closed her jaws. "Continue, Mothwing."  
"In the dream, I saw," She hesitated. Lionblaze leaned forward, tail twitching. "I saw Hawkfrost, and Tigerstar and Tadpole and Sasha. They all had their backs to me, facing something I couldn't see.  
"I heard Tigerstar say that this would change everything, and then Tadpole..." She paused, swallowing. "Tadpole ran down the path and disappeared. He was just, gone." She gave her pelt a shake.  
"That sounds like a dream from Starclan," Jayfeather murmured. "But not a prophecy."  
Mothwing looked at him. "Mistystar did say that Starclan would contact me when they felt I was ready." She admitted.  
"Good. Now, I have another thing to bring up." Jayfeather changed the topic. "Have you had any cats in your clan fall sick?"  
Mothwing looked at him in surprise. "I-"  
Jayfeather interrupted her. "Of course you have, it's leaf-bare. You can trust me, Mothwing." He is keeping his voice low, but Lionblaze can tell he is struggling to keep it that way.  
"Very well," Mothwing dipped her head. "Copperpelt and Minnowtail caught greencough." She sounded as if she was holding something back.  
"But what else?" Jayfeather pressed. "They died, didn't they?" Mothwing nodded, mutely. "You don't have to answer, of course they did. But they came back. Is this what your dream is?"  
"But if they came back, why can't Hollyleaf?" Lionblaze's comment burst, uninvited, from his jaws.  
Jayfeather turned to his brother, pressing his muzzle to Lionblaze's shoulder. "I don't know. I have not seen her."  
The brothers shared a moment of silence, while Mothwing bent her head, and Dovewing wrapped her tail awkwardly around Lionblaze's shoulders.  
Finally, Mothwing looked up, breaking the silence as she meowed, "I had better go. Sandstorm is returning with my clanmates." After the silent heartbeats she shared with the Three, she had made her voice crisp and level, but the light of alliance shone in her eyes.  
"Right, of course." Jayfeather shook his pelt out. "I will be seeing you at the Gathering tomorrow?" The medicine cat meowed. He, also, was keeping his voice emotionless, but Lionblaze had known his brother for long enough to know when he was excited. Jayfeather's tailtip twitched ever so slightly.  
"Yes, you will." Mothwing waved her tail at Lionblaze and shared a secret look with Dovewing before turning and trotting, tail high, to the thorn barrier, through which Mistystar, Sandstorm, and Willowshine were entering. Mothwing meowed a few words to Sandstorm before falling in behind the Riverclan leader, next to Willowshine, as the three left camp.  
The three cats watched the thorn fronds at the entrance wave before finally settling down. When all was still in the camp again, Jayfeather rounded on Dovewing and Lionblaze, fur on end.  
"You tell no one what you heard! Nothing was said here except for inventory on herbs." He spat, his tail fluffed out.  
Dovewing scooted away from the medicine cat as Lionblaze stood before his former apprentice. "Of course, Jayfeather," He soothed. There was a light in Jayfeather's eye. He was scared. "Go take a walk in the forest. Dovewing and I have a patrol to be on."  
Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. After a heartbeat, during which Lionblaze was sure he would leap on them, despite having no battle training, Jayfeather's fur lay flat. "Very well." He mewed coolly, and turned and stalked off. Lionblaze met Dovewing's eyes.  
Something strange is going on, something so big it scares even Jayfeather. And he doesn't want anyone else to know.

**A/N Begins Here**

Thank you to my two reviews. McKitty, how's this for a new chapter?

Need I say that I don't own Warriors?


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